svbeachhouse

Category: 2011 Blog

  • Hello s/v \”Quickstar\”……

    July 6th – 9th, 2011 (Eastern Hemisphere)

    Dear F&F, Friends Diana Young and Peter Bruckman of s/v \”Quickstar\” arrived today. They had with them Anja (An-ya) who is from East Germany. Anja is a PADI Dive Master and sailing instructor. She used to work for Sony\’s Play Station division in Germany and is on a year\’s sabbatical. As Anja wants to go DIVING, she\’ll come aboard for awhile so I\’ve a dive buddy until Sandrine takes the \”I\’m going to learn to dive plunge\”….

    Diana, Anja and Sandrine went off on a \”gals junket\” by bus today to tour the island. Both boats should be off on Monday or Tuesday to head toward Taveuni where we hope to meet up with s/v \”Migration\” (Bruce and Alene). Some of Fiji\’s best diving is there at \”The White Wall\” and \”Rainbow Reef\”.

    Both couples were at Cindy\’s memorial and Diana and Bruce spoke eloquently. I\’m glad to have them back in my aura.

    We\’ll try a dive tomorrow with Koro-Sun Divers. Colin and Janine Skipper\’s operation. They had 100 hammerhead sharks today, a record for them. Anja is all excited, she\’s never seen \”hammies\” before. I may take the camera. Sandrine will snorkel at the surface interval.

    I\’ll try and do updates at least weekly on the \”Ship\’s Log\”.

    Currently, the video links on the archived original website are not working and will be fixed shortly (right Jeremiah????)…:)

    KIT, I will… Scott with now Anja and Sandrine

    Two new photo galleries will be posted as soon as I get ashore!…

  • Hello s/v \”Quickstar\”……

    July 6th – 9th, 2011 (Eastern Hemisphere)

    Dear F&F, Friends Diana Young and Peter Bruckman of s/v \”Quickstar\” arrived today. They had with them Anja (An-ya) who is from East Germany. Anja is a PADI Dive Master and sailing instructor. She used to work for Sony\’s Play Station division in Germany and is on a year\’s sabbatical. As Anja wants to go DIVING, she\’ll come aboard for awhile so I\’ve a dive buddy until Sandrine takes the \”I\’m going to learn to dive plunge\”….

    Diana, Anja and Sandrine went off on a \”gals junket\” by bus today to tour the island. Both boats should be off on Monday or Tuesday to head toward Taveuni where we hope to meet up with s/v \”Migration\” (Bruce and Alene). Some of Fiji\’s best diving is there at \”The White Wall\” and \”Rainbow Reef\”.

    Both couples were at Cindy\’s memorial and Diana and Bruce spoke eloquently. I\’m glad to have them back in my aura.

    We\’ll try a dive tomorrow with Koro-Sun Divers. Colin and Janine Skipper\’s operation. They had 100 hammerhead sharks today, a record for them. Anja is all excited, she\’s never seen \”hammies\” before. I may take the camera. Sandrine will snorkel at the surface interval.

    I\’ll try and do updates at least weekly on the \”Ship\’s Log\”.

    Currently, the video links on the archived original website are not working and will be fixed shortly (right Jeremiah????)…:)

    KIT, I will… Scott with now Anja and Sandrine

    Two new photo galleries will be posted as soon as I get ashore!…

  • Savusavu…..

    July 4th, 2011 (Eastern Hemisphere)

    Dear F&F, We got up early for the 25 mile journey to Savusavu and the mini gauntlet of Nasonisoni Pass. It\’s 1 1/2 miles long and about 100 yards wide. You cannot see the reef for the most part, but again, the chart was spot on. The Eastern sun was no help either. As we headed East, we went slow to watch for the sides. No problems. The other side of the pass often runs against the current and can have \”standing waves\”. Think of strong current again strong trade winds and oh joy, it can be a mess. We\’ve talked to a few boats that got decks awash as they came out the Eastern side. We hit it perfect, no trades of any strength and no standing waves.

    Savusavu looks a lot like a nicer, cleaner, \”Mini Vava\’u, Tonga\”. We checked in with the local customs office and are awaiting our friends on s/v \”Quickstar\” who should be here in a few days from Tonga.

    Happy 4th to everyone in the USA

    Scott with Sandrine

  • Bligh Water…..

    July 3rd, 2011 (Eastern Hemisphere)

    Dear F&F, \”Bligh Water\” is the area between the two main islands of Viti Levu and Vanua Levu here in Fiji. If you look at a world map of the area, you\’ll see what looks like a nice passage between the two islands. It\’s actually extensively encrusted with coral reefs.

    Captain William Bligh of HMS \”Bounty\” when cast adrift by Fletcher Christian and the mutineers, (sounds like a band from the 70\’s doesn\’t it?) sailed across this stretch of water.

    He was cast adrift in an open 21 foot boat with half his crew, few provisions and virtually no idea of where to go to get to safety. Bligh (if you do some real historical research) wasn\’t the super bad guy portrayed in popular lore. Christian himself had some \”issues\” too. I\’ll let you and history be the judge.

    In any event, Bligh sailed right through the middle of the Lau Group where cannibalism was in full force. They tried to land for supplies, but had to make sail and get away fast, lest they end up in some seriously large bellies of the Polynesian Lau. If I recall, Bligh lost one or two crew here to the cannibals. This of course made Bligh quite reluctant to stop anywhere else. He sailed 2400 nautical miles over weeks in completely uncharted waters and eventually ended up in what is today Jakarta, Indonesia. It was considered (and still is), one of the greatest sailing feats of all time.

    We of course have modern charts, GPS, chart plotters and every advantage. Still, this is a bit of a \”keep on your toes\” voyage. Only 50 miles and as it turns out, extremely well marked, it\’s reef after reef after reef. At high tide, you can\’t see them. If the sun is from the East (which of course it was with our very early departure to get to Nasonisoni Pass anchorage before sunset), you can\’t see the reefs either! Overhead sun and clear skies are a plus.

    After our \”bump\” as we left Viti Levu, it was actually an easy trip, but I could just imagine Bligh crossing our path with essentially no help, no water or supplies and cannibals to the left an right of him. Sandrine told me when she was in the Lau 18 years ago, they were still arguing about a land deal that was made in the early 1900\’s which was supposed to put an end to eating each other. However, they kept eating each other so the land deal is even today in dispute. Imagine fighting that out in a local court? \”Well, they said if I gave them this island, they wouldn\’t eat my family. I did, but they kept eating my family so I want my island back\”. Think I\’m kidding?…not so much!

    We stopped at Nasonisoni anchorage for the 1 1/2 mile trip through it\’s pass and onto Savusavu tomorrow. Stay tuned! Scott with Sandrine

  • Vuda Point Redux……

    July 1st – July 3rd, 2011

    Dear F&F, Well, after the sail tearing debacle and the up the anchor debacle of Manta Ray Bay Island, we YET AGAIN returned to Vuda Point for repairs. The sail was a total loss and I\’ll have to eventually replace it in Australia.

    The windlass had what appeared to be a simple fix (it\’s third!). We of course shall see. The \”chain stripper\” was bent and stopped the motor from lifting the chain. It appears to work and we did test it!

    Kate gave us a hug and kiss goodbye and off she went to New Zealand, Australia and finally will head off back home to Essex at the end of July. Thank you Kate, you we\’re great!

    Sandrine and I left for Savusavu directly after re-fueling and more marketing. The trip took four days and we motored all the way. Fortunately the wind was down so we didn\’t have to buck the normal trade winds.

    Fiji is the MOST reef intense place I\’ve ever even imagined. There are rocks on the rocks here. The north side of Viti Levu was well marked. Just as we left the reef system for the journey across \”Bligh Water\”, we cut a corner a little too close and kissed a reef. The chart said it was 120 feet deep, the dagger board said it was 4 1/2 feet deep! No harm, no foul as they say in basketball and VERY fortunately, we just scraped some paint. Efforts for watching the \”bombies\” will be redoubled as we head across \”Bligh Water\”. It\’s one GIANT REEF for 50 miles.

    More soon,

    Scott with Sandrine

  • Manta Ray Bay…..More stuff…..

    June 26-27-28, 2011

    Dear F&F, Oh My!

    June 26-27 We headed to Waya Island and found it frankly not overly interesting so we continued on to Manta Ray Bay Island to see the Manta Rays….not so much. We anchored next to friends on s/v \”Wetnose\” and settled in for the night. That night we went on a night dive and it was fun, but devoid of lots of the creatures I would have expected. Kate thoroughly enjoyed it; it was my first night dive in over a decade. I\’d forgotten how much I loved them.

    That night, a low pressure system came over us and it started to BLOW! 25 knots steady with gusts to 40 knots. Our plan was to move to Somosomo Bay the next morning for protection and when we tried to raise the anchor, all heck broke loose. The \”geneker\” opened up unexpectedly and tore itself to shreds. It may not be repairable. I\’ll find out tomorrow from local sail maker Alan Marshall. The windlass again failed and we could not raise the anchor. We were completely safe and decided to call it a day. I dove the anchor to make sure it wasn\’t stuck on a coral \”bommie\”; it wasn\’t. So we will use \”lift bags\” in the morning to raise the anchor chain and anchor then put it away by hand.

    June 28th We got up early, had breakfast and I went diving to buoy up the anchor. No drama and the gals helped me pull it up and stow it away. We\’ll have to head back to Vuda Point YET AGAIN to see if it can be fixed or move the stern windlass to the bow.

    Upon arrival, Lorenzo of \”Baobab Marine\” determined it was a bent part on the windlass that was causing the problem. We\’ve fixed that and will thoroughly test it tomorrow.

    Kate will be going on another catamaran off to Musket tomorrow and off to New Zealand by air the next day, we\’ll miss her.

    When we came in Vuda Point, we got stuck on our starboard engine with a mooring line. I dove that to remove it…..life goes on.

    I\’ll keep you posted on repairs and Sandrine and I will most likely head directly toward Savusavu over several days starting in a few days.

    My phone was \”drowned\”, and I\’ll get a new one tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott with the crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate – for one more day)

  • Musket Cove, Boat Projects yet again…..

    June 21st, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    After Sandrine arrived at Vuda Point, the three of us went provisioning with our favorite taxi driver Abdul and then off to Musket Cove with the best of intentions to cruise the Mamanuca and Yaswawa Groups of Western Fiji. Kate will leave soon and wants to get in some more diving in (including her first NIGHT DIVE). We arrived as Musket, 2 hours from Vuda and spent a lovely few days diving the pinnacle and Sandrine got to \”fly\” in her aerial silks. (See PHOTO GALLERY).

    Then we had another couple of \”boat problems\”. Ah, you remember boats?! Our generator\’s fuel starvation problem became worse to the point where it wouldn\’t stay running with any load on it. So, I went to Plan B and charged the batteries with the engines. The starboard engine then started to make this horrific sound. It was the high power alternator completely off the engine mount. I thought it was the new bearings gone bad, but wanted to check.

    The next morning, I laid prostrate to the engine and did my slithering reptile \”boat boy\” best to put it all back into place. Started her up and……(drum roll). It sounded just the same! So back to Vuda Point we went after I took it all apart again.

    GOOD NEWS all around: Generator. \”Atherosclerosis of the fuel lines\” Cleaned them out, changed filters, cleaned the filter housings and it works. This problem started a year ago, the guys here at Baobab Marine diagnosed and fixed it in 1/2 a day. Little did you all know that ALGAE grows in fuel. On your car, you use it so much and the gas stations tanks are so well used that water doesn\’t collect in their (or YOUR) fuel tanks. In the marine world, not so much! We don\’t use the fuel that fast as we store a lot and the humidity allows water in the tanks. Then algae grows and life can become miserable. We use biocides and water decontamination treatments, but after awhile, Mr. Bug (algae) can win. I had the tanks cleaned out in New Zealand, but the fuel lines and filter housings were forgotten. And now you know…..the rest of the story.

    Alternator: The new bracket I had installed in New Zealand was rubbing against the belts. Re-shaped it, put back, we\’re good to go! Baobab comes through yet again.

    Off to Navadra (pronounced Navandra) Island tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate)

    Internet is not good here but I can download emails via sailmail at beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Castaway Island, Navadra Island, s/v Wetnose and YES, boat projects yet again!…..

    June 23rd, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    We fueled up, left for Navadra and passed \”Castaway Island\”. This is where Tom Hanks movie \”Castaway\” was filmed. We also were on the path of a literally UNCHARTED Island and reef which if we hadn\’t been paying attention (but of course we were), we would have run right over. It\’s only 100 yards long, but that\’s enough to ruin your entire day….. I marked it on my electronic chart for future use and we anchored in Navadra (pronounced Navandra) Island\’s lovely anchorage with two other boats.

    Shortly after our arrival, Jim and crew on s/v \”Wetnose\” (originally from Marina del Rey) arrived and we went over for a visit. It was good to see a familiar face and meet Jim\’s partner and his wife, we had a nice visit.

    The next day, we went for a lovely snorkel and ashore. The coral was really in good shape and my old nemisis the \”crown of thorns\” was unfortunately eating large patches of the beautiful coral for breakfast/lunch and dinner. This is a sensitive subject for me. I\’ll address this on the old website this Fall when I can. It sounds unbelievable, but this creature was somewhat instrumental in the loss of Cindy. Enough on this for now.

    When ashore, a local with some tourists came up to us and told us we should leave \”sevu-sevu\” in the cave on the island. It is an uninhabited yet traditional land where to respect the ancestors we would leave a gift of Kava (Yangona) as a token of respect. Sevu-sevu is the ceremonial act of doing so. We of course know where the Kava goes, but it\’s the thought that counts, right?…:)

    Kava if you don\’t know is a traditional drink in Polynesia that looks and tastes like dirty dishwater. Why then would anyone want to drink it? Glad you asked! It has a narcotic effect and you know when it\’s working as your lips go numb. The Tongan variety has so far been the best tasting, French Polynesia second and Fijians are notorious for being the biggest drinkers of Yangona, but it\’s just \”dirty dishwater\” here. At least so far. Hope on this one does NOT spring eternal…

    So we then decided to go over to Waya Island (which would be our first Yasawa) for the night. The bow windlass broke yet again. This time it wasn\’t the motor, but the mechanism itself. As this was a critical system, we got it up using the electric halyard winch and did so in lengths of 15 feet at a time. This worked as an emergency \”get the anchor up\” system, but we couldn\’t live with this…..back to Vuda Point!…..

    It all worked out again. The diagnosis was a stripped housing cover which would take at least a week to replace if not longer, so Lorenzo smartly \”tack welded\” it into place. It works, we\’ll leave for Waya (yet again) tomorrow.

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine & Kate)

    Internet is not good here, I\’m sending via sailmail, but I can download emails to beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Waya pit stop…Manta Ray Bay Island….

    June 25th, 2011

    Dear F&F,

    We left for the trip to Waya Island, most southern of the Yasawa\’s early as to travel the 30 miles and get settled. Kate was in \”her office\” (sun tanning of course) and Sandrine was listening to music. I did my weight workout and all was good. We arrived at Waya around noon and as lovely as it was, we just didn\’t feel we wanted to stay. So on we went the last 12 miles to Manta Ray Bay island. We anchored next to s/v Wetnose and Jim came by for a hello.

    Kate and Sandrine went snorkeling and I quickly discovered that the internet despite advertisement didn\’t work here. The 3G system is supposed to be in, but it just wasn\’t happening. So back to good old \”sailmail\” and that\’s how I\’m posting this blog.

    Kate decided we were going night diving as we had spoken to the local dive guide from Barefoot Plantation Resort and he said it was good right where we had anchored. So, Kate got to do her first NIGHT DIVE. I teased her about the sharks, Sandrine didn\’t want to hear about it and in we went.

    I was a bit disappointed as despite the lovely coral, the ususal suspects were no where to be found. WESTERN Fiji is not known for it\’s diving. EASTERN Fiji (where we will be in about 2 weeks) is. So I\’m cutting the place slack for the time being. No moray eels, no octopus, no whitetip reef sharks. It was for me a bit disappointing, Kate of course was jazzed. She dove at NIGHT!

    When we got back and cleaned up, Sandrine went up at 9 p.m. in her silks with the deck light on. She\’s getting stronger every day.

    It\’s overcast now and the weather is supposed to start being really windy with some rain over the next few days.

    The manta rays are supposed to be in the pass only 250 yards away; they come in at high tide which is this afternoon. We\’ll give them a snorkel try then and report back. More diving today too….

    KIT, Scott and the Crew of s/v Beach House (Sandrine and Kate)

    Internet is not good here, I\’m sending via sailmail, but I can download emails to beachhouse51@gmail.com

  • Malololailai…..

    June 1st – 9th, 2011

    Okay, say Malololailai ten times real fast! Betcha\’ can\’t do it….:)

    Dear F&F,

    We picked up mooring and checked into Musket Cove. The reefs here are something to be very wary of. They\’re often just awash and you can\’t see them. Glad the electronic charts are spot on here.

    Diving: We started Kate\’s diving class today. She\’s a natural and will have no worries at all. Dinghy 101: Kate thought it looks cool when a gal drives the dinghy so lessons began today. Other than my broken toe, it was all good…:)

    June 2nd We hated the pool here, the visiability was worse than the ocean. So, we did confined water dives 3,4 & 5 in the ocean in a \”pool like environment\”. Much better. Kate will start her first \”Open Water Dives\” tomorrow….

    June 3rd Correction, Kate got a bit too inebriated last night and will start her Open Water dives tomorrow! I went out for two nice dives with Roberta and Patrice. I went to check the haul out here. NO WAY. They want me to do everything but drive the tractor that pulls the boat out of the water. Plan B will be in order. More on that later. The saildrive isn\’t leaking that bad. It can wait.

    June 4th Kate did Open Water 1&2. Absolutely no sweat.

    June 6th Kate finished Open Water dives 3&4, she\’s now the newest \”PADI GIRL\”.

    June 7th We did her first dive as a certified diver at \”The Pinnacle\”. Amazing. Nice swim though at 74 feet. The top of the pinnacle at 28 feet looked like an amazing aquarium. At least 5 species of clowns, lots of different types of anemones, lion fish, damsel fish, bubble coral galore. The entire 40 feet by 40 feet was covered in \”life\”. Oh this was a \”Cindy Dive\” for sure.

    June 8th Surfs UP! We met Greg, an Aussie on the boat next door. He took me and Kate surfing to Wilkes Channel. Kate got a bit beat up and was \”rescued\” by the cute guys. She was taken to lunch at the island resort (Namotu), very exclusive. She came away with lots of emails and phone numbers. Oh to be young and adorable. It\’s that easy isn\’t it?….

    I actually rode two waves. Nice sweet right handers about 3-4 foot face. First time in really 20 years. It was somewhat like riding a bike. My exercise program paid off so I didn\’t expire paddling the board.

    June 9th Returned to Vuda Point Marina. Happy Birthday Gaye (Skye\’s Mom). Skye\’s is tomorrow!

    More later, awaiting Sandrine\’s arrival on Monday from Hawaii….Kate may soon move on to her next boat ride….. KIT, Scott with Kate on computer, texting, facebooking and all that other stuff 30 year olds do…. Vuda Point Marina, Fiji